More haunted heritage walks in pipeline in Delhi

The Delhi tourism department’s “haunted walks”, part of its heritage walk series, have become an instant hit, and the department has decided to extend the walks to another location – Khooni Darwaza and Feroz Shah Kotla – on May 20 and 21, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

“In the wake of the encouraging response, we have decided to include one more site for the haunted walks. The walk at Feroz Shah Kotla will begin at Khooni Darwaza and cover the 14th-century monument as well,” said Meenakshi Sharma, deputy manager, tourism department.

The haunted walks were launched on Sunday at central Delhi’s 14th-century palace, Malcha Mahal, in Chanakyapuri. A second official said that bookings for the next two tours at Malcha Mahal, scheduled for May 13 and 14, are nearly full.

“After Feroz Shah Kotla, we will conduct the walks at Tughlakabad Fort, Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal, and Jamali Kamali in Mehrauli Archaeological Park,” said the above-quoted official.

Meanwhile, the department has also opened online bookings for the walks on the Delhi tourism website.

For each tour, a maximum of 20 people is allowed so that the government-appointed walk conductors can easily explain the history of the location as well as the stories that go with it. Children below 15 are not allowed to go on haunted walks.

Khooni Darwaza at Feroz Shah Kotla is one of the main gates to Delhi’s Walled City and has witnessed several deaths including that of freedom fighters. Located near Arun Jaitley Stadium near ITO, Feroz Shah Kotla was built by Sultan Feroz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century. Often, people are seen praying at the fort, lighting candles and diyas, and even writing letters to djinns to fulfill their wishes.

Officials said that after the walk at Malcha Mahal was launched, many people managed to procure their contact numbers and they received over 50 enquiries.

“The 20 people who went on the first haunted walk at Malcha Mahal on Sunday included a six-member family, students, one father-son duo, and a couple of middle-aged businessmen, among others. A private college also contacted us to conduct the tour for a group of students from their college,” said a second official.

Malcha Mahal is located in Chankyapuri and is accessible from Sardar Patel Marg. The historical structure, which dates back to the 14th century, was used as a hunting lodge. It is located around 1.5 km away from the main road and is nestled in a forested area. It is popularly believed that Malcha Mahal is haunted and the mysteries surrounding the historical structure have captured the imagination of many people.

The walk fee of ₹800 also includes a kit, containing a jute bag, a torch, a stick, a badge, a water bottle, a seasonal fruit, a juice box, and a muffin. The walks are conducted only on weekends from 5.30pm to 7pm.

The bookings can be cancelled through email to the tourism department, to an ID provided at the time of booking. “Booking cancelled 48 hours before the beginning of the tour will get 50% refund and no refund will be given for bookings cancelled after that. We can also bring forward or postpone the tour timings if we receive requests from people who have already booked their slots,” said an official.